This invention relates to a portable container which is specifically adapted for holding and protecting vials and ampoules and their contents. The articles to be protected will be termed vials in this specification, which term shall include within its scope ampoules, and other small vessels and their contents such as vaccines and the like. This invention further relates to a portable container for the passive cooling of vials. The container is particularly suitable for housing and protecting vials containing pharmaceutical or veterinary preparations such as vaccines which are sensitive to changes in temperature or to relatively high temperature.
Vials are generally supplied in boxes, which may contain ten or more vials, to pharmacists, veterinary surgeons or other drug supply facilities. A disadvantages of these boxes is that the vials are not thermally insulated by the boxes during transportation and storage. Where the contents of the vials are sensitive to changes in temperature, an additional isolating container has to be provided to protect the vials against extreme temperatures and sudden changes in temperature. Opening of the isolating container to remove one of the vials, will raise the temperature inside the container to the detriment of the other vials.
Certain vaccines, which are dispensed from vials, have to be maintained at a temperature of between 2xc2x0 and 8xc2x0 C. An example of such vaccine is a SAIMR ABSORBED TETANUS vaccine. Transportation, storage and dispensing of these vaccines in remote and underdeveloped areas is relatively difficult, if not impossible with known vial containers.
When a pharmacist supplies one or more vials to a patient, the pharmacist will remove the required number of vials from a box in which the vials are contained and may place the vials into another packet, box or suitable container. A disadvantage of this is that the vials are unprotected from damage and because the vials are also usually made of glass, they will easily shatter in the event of the packet or box being dropped.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a portable container for vials with which the aforesaid disadvantages may be overcome or minimised or to provide a useful alternative to the known vial containers.
According to the invention there is provided a portable container as set forth in the claims.
According to the invention there is provided a portable container for a vial, the container having a wall defining a centrally located cavity for receiving the vial, the wall having a first thermally insulating outer layer; and second and third spaced apart layers of a relatively hard plastics material surrounded by the first layer, the second and third layers defining a cavity between them for a substance for providing a passive cold source to the cavity; and the wall including a fourth insulating inner layer which is surrounded by the other layers. vial, the container having a wall defining a centrally located cavity for receiving the vial, the wall having a first thermally insulating layer surrounding a substance for providing a passive cold source to the cavity.
Preferably the substance is provided in semi-solid, gel or liquid form, and is selected from the group comprising sodium acetate, polyethylene glycol, silicone based compounds, glycol alcohols, water, and polymers.
Further according to the invention the wall includes second and third spaced apart layers of a relatively hard plastics material and the substance for providing a passive cold source forms an annular layer disposed between the second and third layers.
The wall may include a fourth insulating inner layer which is surrounded by the other layers.
Further according to the invention the first to fourth layers are in the form of concentrically disposed, cylindrical, blind ended tubes.
Preferably the container has a closed bottom and an open top and the container may include a thermally insulating lid for closing the open top.
The wall may be provided with a connecting formation and the lid may define a complementary formation for cooperating with the connecting formation.
The container may include a downwardly directed annular flange member provided on the open top of the container, the flange member connecting to the first layer of the container by a friction fit.
An inner surface of the annular flange member may define an annular extending groove formation and an outer surface of the second layer may define a circumferentially extending ridge formation for mating with the groove formation.
The first layer may comprise polyurethane foam or expanded polystyrene foam.
In one form of the invention, an inner surface of the fourth layer is profiled to provide protrusions for abutting the outer surface of the vial and for defining an air filled buffer zone between the vial and the substance for providing a passive cold source.
In another form of the invention, the lid is provided with at least one gripping formation for gripping one end of the vial.
In yet another form of the invention, the lid includes an axially aligned pierceable disc which is adapted to be pierced by the needle of a syringe, the container being adapted to contain a vial having a similar pierceable top.
The container may include an outer protective skin.